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PROLOGUE // ALICIA
There is nothing unusual about this particular Thursday, but there’s something in the air that Alicia can’t quite put her finger on. She writes it off as the strange sense of nostalgia she feels every year as summer comes to a close and autumn starts to creep in.
It’s remarkably quiet for this time of day. Normally, she wouldn’t think twice about walking home by herself - the route is always busy enough for there to be witnesses, and she can protect herself, thank you very much - but the sense of dread continues to crawl up her spine and prick at the back of her neck. Alicia can’t help but think of that song that comes on the radio every year as Halloween nears.
I always feel like somebody’s watching me, she thinks. It’s easy to get earwormed. Who’s playing tricks on me?
A loud crash behind her has Alicia whipping her head around, pulled out of her thoughts. It’s instinct to call the flames to her fingers, ready to defend herself if she needs to.
“Hello?” she calls out. “Who’s there?”
There’s no answer.
Unease roiling in her gut, she takes a few quick steps towards the nearby alleyway, praying that it’s just some stray cat and not someone trying to mug her. “I’m an Elemental,” she adds, forcing confidence into her voice. “I’m not scared of you.”
There’s another crash - angrier, this time - and Alicia launches her hands into the air, shooting fire through the air to illuminate the dark alley, but there’s nothing there. Nothing that she can see, anyway.
She shakes her head, letting out a shaky laugh. “Get it together, Alicia,” she tells herself, squaring her shoulders. “It’s probably just a raccoon or something.”
Turning to continue her journey home, she takes a step forward and is met with a blade sinking through her stomach. Alicia knows what fire feels like, but this burns in a different way; white hot and freezing all at once, worse than any pain she has ever experienced.
She opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out.
“Shh,” a woman’s voice whispers to her as the blade slides out of her abdomen. “It’s alright, it’s all alright. I’m sorry, it’ll be over soon.”
Alicia blinks, trying to focus on her attacker’s face, but it has suddenly become impossible to focus. She stares up at the pink and orange sky, wondering what she has done to deserve such a death.
“I’m sorry,” the woman repeats, and Alicia can’t help but think she means it. “I’m so sorry.”
The blade swings back down, and then there is nothing.